ANNI MARIE FAST

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ANNI MARIE FAST Anni Marie Fast died peacefully on July 2, 2007, following a very brief illness, with her family at her side. Our mother was born in Prosjanaja, Russia on May 8, 1914. Her father, Henry Albrecht, was conscripted to work as a forest ranger near the Volga River that year and her mother, Aganetha (Klassen) Albrecht, with three little girls, moved there. When the oldest sister was ready for school the family moved to Augur-Tobe in the Crimea, where they lived with their maternal grandparents. Her mother passed away in Spat in the spring of 1922 and later that year her father married Sara Siemens from Nieder Chortiza. The family came to Canada in July 1923 after a month-long journey and lived initially in Winkler, MB. In November of the following year they moved to Gnadental to start farming. Two siblings joined the family, Henry in 1926, and Helen in 1927. In 1931 they moved to a farm near Mather, where her father passed away in January 1933. From 1929 to 1940 our mother worked as a domestic in Winnipeg. She established several life-long relationships during this period, both with other young women from the Maedchenheim and with the people for whom she worked. On August 11, 1940, she married George G. Fast from Mountainside. They farmed until 1969 when they moved to Boissevain and in 1975 to Winnipeg. During the course of her life, she travelled to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Kenya and Europe as well as to several Caribbean countries. She had an enquiring mind and read avidly for most of her life. She was truly interested in the lives of those around her and remembered the important details of those lives. Our mother is survived by her children, John (Arlene), Margaret, Helen (David), Kathy Cullihall (Henry); daughter-in-law Sigrid; grandchildren, Michael, Douglas and Michelle Fast, Jonathan, Isaak and Me-Linh Lê and Sarah Cullihall; and great-grandchildren, Alexandre, Mathiu and Jacob Renaud, Emily and Daniel Fast and Jonas and Elisha Fast. She was predeceased by several siblings in Russia, by her beloved husband on October 3, 1983, and her much-loved son, George, on May 9, 1998, as well as by her sisters, Margaret and Helen, and her brother Henry. She was baptized in 1932 by Aeltester J. Klassen and became a member of the First Mennonite Church in Winnipeg. From 1975 until her death she was a member of the Home Street Mennonite Church in Winnipeg. During the course of her life, she always knew that God was beside her and she prayed that whenever he called her, she would follow him gladly. The family would like to thank the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service and the staff at the Grace Hospital, both in the Emergency Department and on A3 North, for their compassionate care and support in the final days of her life. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 5, 2007, at McLure United Church, 533 Greenwood Place. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mennonite Central Committee or to the charity of your choice. neil bardal inc. 949-2200 nbardal.mb.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 04, 2007